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an underground creeping rhizome produces a new growth and it is 
best to cut or ring this rhizome behind the growth and when a tuft 
of roots has been formed the cutting may be removed. Root 
cuttings, however, seldom make nice shapely plants, the process is 
usually a slow one and the percentage of loss generally heavy, for 
these reasons when procurable seeds are always preferred. 
In collecting palm seeds it is essential that the seed should be 
perfectly ripe. This is generally easily determined by the hardness 
of the seed, that is to say of the albumen, and also by the colour 
and softness of the fruit, occasionally the albumen seems to be 
fairly hard before the fruit is ripe enough to germinate. The 
colour of the fruit is often a help, thus, in Iguanura the fruit is 
first white, then becomes red, and at last black, and when it has 
arrived at this colour only it is ripe enough for collecting. Seed 
taken as it often has to be when travelling in the woods just before 
it is ripe will sometimes continue its ripening in sawdust damped 
and eventually be fit to plant. 
It appears from the number of dry seed received even from 
Botanic Gardens that persons think that because a palm seed is 
very hard, it can safely be sent to a long distance quite dry with- 
out any packing material at all, this is a great mistake. The small 
embryo placed in a hollow of the hard albumen at one end or on 
the side of a seed is very sensitive to drying, and very readily 
perishes. Palm seed should always be packed for travelling in 
damp powdered charcoal if possible, or damp sawdust or earth. 
In the forests-damp earth may be used, either put into a tin box, 
or if more convenient a mud ball may be made in which the seeds 
are pushed and covered up, thus they will keep for a long time. 
The fruits of palms may be fleshy, fibrous or even woody, and a 
fevv have a spiny spathe which has to be guarded against. Fleshy 
fruits soon ferment and the pulp is easily removed. Fibrous .fruits 
may be macerated for a day or two when the outer covering can be 
split or peeled off. The Malayan palm “ Kabong ” or ‘ f Gula 
Malacca” is one of the worst to handle, the juice from the fruits 
being a skin poison. The Kitool, ( Caryota urens) is also a power- 
ful irritant on the skin. Many palms germinate freely when left to 
themselves, under cultivation however it is best to remove the outer 
covering of the seed because of the decay of the pulp or fibrous 
covering and possible loss from fungus. The period of germination 
varies from 6 weeks - with some to 3 or 4 years with others. Ex- 
cepting, those palm requiring much space, Coco-nuts, Sago, it is 
best to plant seeds in pots or boxes, whichever is used the drain- 
age should be deep and well covered with half decayed leaves to 
prevent the compost from blocking up the drainage. 'The compost 
to be used should be free from funsd and consist of burnt earth 
well decayed leaf-mould, some sand^and a little powdered charcoal’ 
Seeds may be planted fairly close, small seeds placed upright large 
seeds on one side or flat, and covered with one-half to one inch of 
the prepared compost which has been passed through a sieve of a 
fine mesh. After planting the pots or boxes should be thoroughly 
‘ 3/tSS 
